FRIENDS AND family of Paddy Barnes, Ireland's first confirmed medal-winner at the Beijing Games, were in celebratory mood yesterday - but also arguing that the Belfast man has further to go.
The boxer's former trainer and one-time Ireland coach Gerry Storey believes the light flyweight's "great attitude" can see him go all the way to the winner's podium.
Barnes, a postman who lost his first 15 fights, qualified for Friday's semi-final bout by beating a Polish baker who had once beaten him.
Members of the Barnes family who had stayed in Belfast as well as friends from Holy Family boxing club in New Lodge had gathered in a local bar to see him win the bout guaranteeing him at least a bronze medal.
They were joined by former boxer, now a press photographer, Hugh Russell who won bronze for Ireland in Moscow in 1980.
He will fight for gold if he defeats Zou Shiming, the Chinese star and world champion, in the semis. Like yesterday's opponent Lukasz Maszczyk from Poland, Zou has once before beaten Barnes. But Mr Storey says: "He can make it, absolutely. It's a game of tactics and his tactics are working for him."
"He lost his first 15 fights," Barnes' former coach told The Irish Times yesterday. "What does that tell you about his character?"
"Anybody who lost his first 15 fights has a certain attitude. He knew he could get his green vest [to fight for Ireland] and his picture is up on Paradise Row," he added, a reference to the former Holy Family boxers who won places on the national boxing team for previous games.
It is a proud tradition for the small club which trains in a former army building not far from the city centre.
"He's our fifth kid to make an Olympic team," said Mr Storey who firmly believes there will be more pictures to hang on Paradise Row in the years to come.
"We're preparing already for London 2012."
"Paddy knows his next opponent okay. He's already been beaten by him and he's one of the toughest. But I won't be surprised at all if he wins. He had been beaten by the Pole in his first international bout but he's has now beaten him 11-5."
Zou defeated Barnes as recently as last year in the World Championships.
"Paddy started his boxing in a little club in Ballyhornan down in Co Down. His uncle was from Ardglass," said the former national coach.
These days he fights for the north Belfast parish club which, according to Storey, "has more medals than the rest of the North" in both Commonwealth and Olympic games.
Confidence is running high that Paddy Barnes will not settle for bronze on Friday.
"Everything's going sweet for him," said Storey.
"The Barneses are a big family and there's a lot of them out there in Beijing as well as eight or 10 from the club here," he said.
That said, there will still be good local and vocal support when the fighter takes once more to the ring on Friday.